


Things Have Changed For Me

by Ellienerd14



Series: Dear Matti [5]
Category: Class (TV 2016)
Genre: Happy Ending, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Kittens, M/M, SO MUCH FLUFF, cuteness, it's good for the soul
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-22
Updated: 2017-05-22
Packaged: 2018-11-03 20:20:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,231
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10974648
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ellienerd14/pseuds/Ellienerd14
Summary: (I work at the animal shelter and you always come in to pet the cats when you're sad.)~~~The first time Charlie notices him, it was raining.The first time they kiss, the sun is shining though the tiny little reception area.





	Things Have Changed For Me

**Author's Note:**

> I work at the animal shelter and you always come in to pet the cats when you're sad.

The first time Charlie noticed him, it had been raining. The window above his desk was broken and he could feel the raindrops settling on the back of his neck. April said the window had been broken since she'd been working there and neither of them were brave enough to ask Quill to get them repaired. (Even in a building full of cats and coffee, her two favourite things, Charlie was yet to see her in a good mood.)

It was also a Monday and Charlie had forgotten his jacket. It was a terrible day and then it got brighter. 

Charlie hadn't know his name initially but had smiled anyway. (A distractingly attractive boy had just walked into his life; of course he smiled.)

"Isn't April working?"

"She has a date," Charlie had replied, leaning forward. "So I agreed to cover her shift. Can I help you?"

"Yeah. Think so. We have this agreement that if I ever need anywhere to go and calm down, I could come here. To play with the kittens," Charlie liked how he pronounced it, "is okay?"

"Sure." He wished he was better with words.

"Thank you."

Charlie watched him walk away, smiling for reasons he didn't fully understand.

* * *

April was a good co-worker and an even better friend.

"You mean Matteusz?"

Charlie nodded. "I think so. He was tall, very attractive and looked a little sad."

April almost spat out her tea. "Sorry? Can you repeat that?"

"A little sad. Is that why he wanted to play with the animals?"

"I meant the other part." April coughed again. "The ' _attractive_ ' part."

"Oh," Charlie pulled on his cardigan sleeve, "objectively speaking, of course. You couldn't have missed it."

"No, no, I agree - don't tell Ram. I just wasn't expecting it from you."

" _Oh_."

"Not that it's a bad thing! It's great. Really great." April patted his arm, which was a little awkward for them both.

"Thank you?" Charlie paused, "anyway, do you think he'll return?"

"Probably. Matteusz comes when he's upset usually. We're friends, same music class."

"Matteusz goes to Coal Hill?" Charlie was still new but he was sure he would have noticed him.

"Yeah." April smirked. "Why do you ask?"

"No reason," he replied, although it was clear April didn't believe him.

* * *

The next time the rain had cleared.

"Hello," Charlie said, trying to see if Matteusz was crying. "You're back."

"You remember me?"

"I... there is no good way to answer that."

"It's okay," Matteusz reassured him, "I am here a lot."

"I guess I have something to look forward to then," Charlie said. "Oh, that wasn't good to say out loud either."

Matteusz laughed. "Is okay. Promise."

* * *

They fell into a pattern, Charlie doing all he could to make Matteusz smile (usually it worked) (on the days it didn't...) (those were the worst days).

Charlie would look forward to their visits, if it didn't mean that Matteusz was fighting with his parents so much. ("They don't like that I'm gay. They say I'm not meant for heaven. But I know differently. They won't listen though.") He didn't see his own parents very much; they were busy saving the world or whatever being a politician included. But they hadn't cared he was gay when he'd told them (over Skype, trying to make out their expressions though the pixels).

"How bad are things at home?" He asked, half-afraid of the answer.

"Not good. Very not good. We argue a lot. I made the mistake of asking a boy to the Autumn prom and telling them."

Charlie felt his stomach sink. "I didn't know you asked anyone out."

"He said no anyway. It doesn't matter." Matteusz ran his hand though his hair, Charlie watched, slightly fascinated. "Are you okay?"

"Fine, mostly," he answered. 

"Good." Matteusz smiled, which was so pretty, Charlie almost fell off his chair.

April found him, still stunned, five minutes later. "You have such a big crush on him," she commented, placing a mug of tea in front of him.

"You have no idea," he finally admitted.

* * *

The day Charlie realised exactly how badly he had feel for Matteusz was the one he met Marcelina Andrzejewski. She looked young, emphasised even more with the height contrast between her and her brother. She was still in a red school uniform, with black hair tied in a long, frizzy ponytail with wisps of hair escaping.

Matteusz was already grinning and that was enough to make Charlie's heart skip a beat. (Metaphorically of course.)

"Hi." She leant up on the tip of her toes. "I'm Cela."

"Nice to meet you."

"Are you Charlie?" She asked, still stretching to her full height. "You sound posh, so I think you are."

"Yeah," he answered.

"This is my little sister, Marcelina. She wanted to see the kittens too," Matteusz introduced.

"Matti says you're nice," Marcelina said, crossing her arms and almost losing balance.

" _Cela_ , _co_ _ci_ _powiedziałem_?"

Marcelina pulled a face at Charlie, rolling her eyes. " _Przepraszam_."

"Children," Matteusz said, looking fondly at his sister anyway.

"Mums allergic to cats. I wanted to get one but we are not allowed. So Matti promised I could come play with them. And since it's my birthday, we're here."

"Happy Birthday."

" _Dziękuję_ ," Marcelina replied. She pulled Matteusz along, practically bouncing. Charlie watched the siblings walk off, with an even lighter feeling in his heart than usual.

* * *

The first time they kissed, the sun was shining through the dingey reception area. Charlie was sipping his tea even though it'd been cold since April had left an hour ago. 

The animal shelter was yet to have visitors. Mostly due to most of the kittens being adopted already. 

Charlie wasn't expecting Matteusz to walk in but he hadn't the first time either.

"Are you crying? Your eyes look red."

"A fight. Another fight. We always fight and I hate it." Charlie moved from behind the desk to comfort him. "Sometimes I worry that my farther is right; that there is something wrong with me."

"There is nothing wrong with you. How could there be?" Charlie gently pulled his hands away from his face. "Matteusz, look at me. You have been visiting here for half a year because of him. It breaks my heart to see you cry. And it's not just because I'm in love with you, it's because you deserve so much better than horrible parents-"

"Charlie?" Matteusz interrupted.

"Did I go too far?"

"You said, you said, that you were in love with me." Charlie felt his face warm up.

"It was an accident."

"Did you mean it?" Matteusz asked. "Do you mean it?"

"Of course I meant it. How could I not? You're so amazing. I see you cry and I'd do anything to stop you from feeling so sad. And if that isn't love, I don't know what is-"

"Charlie-"

"It's okay. You don't have to feel the same-"

"Charlie-"

"I wasn't expecting you to-"

" _Charlie!_ " Matteusz said, finally stopping his ramble. "Be quiet, please, for a moment."

"Because I messed up everything?" He asked miserably.

"No, because it's hard to kiss someone who's talking."

Charlie barely had time to process it before Matteusz leaned down and kissed him.

"For the record," Matteusz said breathlessly, resting their heads together, "I'm in love with you too."

Charlie smiled, noticing that it was raining again, before leaning up for a second kiss. 

**Author's Note:**

> co ci powiedziałem? - what did I tell you?  
> przepraszam - I'm sorry  
> dziękuję - thank you
> 
> This was so fun to write! Remember to make it worth it by commenting!


End file.
